


Last Night On Earth

by alisha_winchester_collins



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: AU, Enterprise never missed the war, Episode: s01e15 Will You Take My Hand?, F/M, Season 1 Finale, finale rewrite, i'm terrible at tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 19:42:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17566775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alisha_winchester_collins/pseuds/alisha_winchester_collins
Summary: “What would you do if you knew that it was your last night on Earth?” An AU rewrite of the season 1 finale, ‘Will You Take My Hand’ - the USS Enterprise was involved in the war from the very beginning.





	Last Night On Earth

_ Silence.  _ A complete stillness and emptiness hung in the air all around the USS Enterprise; a ship that once thrived and felt just as alive as its crew, who walked the hallways and sometimes ran along the corridors, endlessly talking or shouting orders, skidding and slipping, moving between the transporter room to the med bay, from their respective living quarters to the bridge, from the mess hall to the hangar, preparing themselves with phasers and charging up the shuttles, they were always on the move and always simply… there… until they weren't. Until all systems on the Enterprise had been shut down to the minimal levels of power, until everything turned into a low thrum like a heart that continues to beat even if there's no life left to live.

If anyone else had boarded the ship, they might have thought that they had stepped into a ghost story - the haunted remnants of a legendary starship - with no signs of life except for the memories of all the souls who once called this home. But for an officer who was one of the Enterprise's own, as someone who had stood in these hallways and watched, listening without moving, without saying a word, as everything was shut down, it felt more like a sleeping animal who was resting… waiting for the right time… for an enemy to arrive and then it would pounce. 

To you, this was not just a spaceship that was home, it was the last ray of hope when everything else was lost. And as you made your way down the dimly lit corridors, passing by all of the deserted rooms that lay in darkness, you knew this was only temporary. That come tomorrow morning, everything would return to life as if this had never happened, as everyone went to war. 

_ “The USS Enterprise is the finest starship in our entire fleet and we need you on the front lines when the time comes.”  _

The orders had come in from Starfleet Command - in order to provide a fighting chance for them and everyone else, the Enterprise was to be stationed amongst the other Federation ships at the border between Earth and the Klingon army. The first wave that would have a fighting chance. And so, on the eve of the war, everything had been shut down to the bare minimum to conserve energy and to give its crew one night to say goodbye. 

_ “Attention crew of the Enterprise, this is your Captain speaking. You all have been given your orders from Starfleet command, and while I know you are all ready for what we’re about to face tomorrow, it comes from me now - I order each and every one of you to take this night to go home to your loved ones, your friends and family. And tell them that there is still hope, that we will continue to keep fighting, that even though the odds are against us, we will never stop defending our home and our people until the very end. No matter what happens, we are Earth’s last line of defense and if this is the last battle that we’ll ever fight, then let’s make it a fight to remember.”  _

You had been on the bridge with the others when Captain Christopher Pike had made his announcement, observing him quietly from a distance, watching Spock and Number One’s respective conversations with him, thinking about how he must be feeling at a time like this. How you all were possibly feeling… this was it. The last night before war broke out between the Federation and the Klingons, but there was no fear. Only determination. You told the rest of the crew that you might be joining them for a drink later that night, if you could get away, as you walked with them towards your quarters. A tiny white lie never hurt anyone if it was with the right intention, and it wasn’t that you weren’t going to be with your loved ones… you may not have had someone waiting for you back on Earth… but you weren’t alone either. 

By the time you found your way to one of the closed doors, the ship had almost powered down, everyone had left for the night and you waited, just for a heartbeat of a second before knocking. After all, if there was one person who would always stay behind with the ship, it was the captain. 

“Enter.” His voice called out as the doors slid open and you walked inside. 

He was standing on the other side of the ready room, half turned away from the window he had been staring out at the world below, to face you. If there was any sign of surprise that someone was still on the ship or that it was  _ you _ , he gave no indication whatsoever. 

“Captain.” You stopped behind the desk, briefly noticing that he had opted to leave his uniform jacket unbuttoned before you turned your sights to the images flickering from the energy being diverted here.

There were star maps on display, depicting the status of the enemy’s approach and the defenses Starfleet had. And as you observed even from the simplest point of view, things looked… desolate. Ever since news of Starbase 1 falling to the Klingon Army had been transmitted across the remainder of starships, it was now down to the Enterprise to stand at the helm of this war. To save Earth or lose everything that you, your captain, your crew and everyone else believed in. And that simply wasn’t an option.

“What brings you here, L/N?” His voice was soft but not weary, that was a good sign.

“Well, seeing as this may very well be the last chance that we get, I thought I’d take you up on your offer for a drink.” You knew that he had been expecting you, it was an unspoken agreement, always had been, but perhaps tonight was a time to say things out loud.

“Of course, no time like the present.” He said with a smile, there weren’t many opportunities for him to have smiled lately, but the sight of it made your heart ache even as you felt it flutter.  

It didn't take but a minute for Pike to pour two drinks from a crystal decanter he kept in the office. “We should do this properly and have a toast, don’t you think?”

“To you, Captain.” You answered in reply.

“To the Enterprise. And to our family.” With that he clinked his glass against yours, his gaze lingering on you. 

Things had never been labelled when there was something to  _ be _ labelled, neither you nor he had cared about that; there were no secrets when it came to your feelings and his, but time was a fickle thing never on anyone’s side. You had fallen in love with the handsome, caring, brave and sometimes reckless Captain somewhere along the line after joining the USS Enterprise… and even though it had remained unsaid… he had shown you how he felt in ways that didn’t need words. And yet, now that the two of you were here… when it seemed to be the beginning of an end… you had come to him so that there wouldn’t be any regrets if the morning sun would be the last one you’d ever see; but something was still holding you back. The fear of not wanting this night to end.

“How long do we have?” You didn’t break his stare, but turned the conversation to the imminent threat that was slowly approaching.

“An hour after sunrise, if we’re going by standard Earth time. The Klingons are expected to launch a full assault against the fleet; I won’t lie to you, it doesn’t look good. The chances of us winning this fight are pretty low, unless we have a miracle.” Something about the way he said that made you glance at the maps and then back to him.

“We have a plan don’t we?” You asked him, your voice almost a whisper, almost not daring to breathe just then.

There was a hint of something in his eyes that held a secret, “We have our secret weapon, the USS Discovery, who are en route to Qo’nos as we speak… we just need to buy them some time.” He looked hopeful, but there was still a very real possibility that if something went wrong, if whatever Discovery was planning failed, if they didn’t accomplish their task on time, then… 

“If we need, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve.” It was no surprise to hear him say that, being who he was, he definitely would do whatever was needed to keep the fight going.

Without needing to think - it was always instinctive when you were around him - you reached out and laid your hand on top of his. No words were needed in the moment; as captain it was down to him to make the hard calls and keep the crew together, especially in times of war. And it wasn’t that he hadn’t told everyone else about what their sister ship was planning… the lesser the people knew the more focused they would all be when it came down to the final fight. You saw him drop his eyes to your hands, saw him turn his palm so that he clasped his hand in yours and maybe that was what you had been waiting for… a sign… to give you the courage to tell him everything. 

“Chris, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.” There it was, the shift in his eyes at the sound of his name on your lips, the  _ intimacy _ in your voice that lowered his guard.

“Yes, yes I suppose there is.” He nodded and stood, still holding your hand.

If you were being honest, there was a part of you that felt slightly startled at his sudden openness and ease with which he held himself. Things had never been awkward around the two of you, but this was different somehow. You just weren’t sure exactly how… yet.

“Do you remember the first time you asked me, what I would do if I knew it was my last night on Earth?” The question took you by surprise; it seemed as if you weren’t the only one who had something to say tonight.

“I remember, yes.” You turned away from him even though you didn’t mean to, the memory of that day was never far from your mind.

The first time you had kissed him which had eventually led to something more, when he had  _ seen _ you… all of you… even though he hadn’t asked, you found yourself opening up to him, talking about the accident… losing your family and your injuries… telling him that you never had the chance to say goodbye to them, you hadn’t been home all day, reaching back just before everything went to hell. And even though you knew, that he was your Captain, in the midst of reliving those moments… you confessed that you regretted not being able to tell your parents and your brothers how much you loved them. 

His hand on your cheek brought you back from those memories, to the present, to him. At some point in your time onboard the Enterprise, most of everyone knew about everyone’s life, and they were all there to help you heal. Some more than others. 

“I didn’t have an answer for you that day, but I do now.” Was all he said before he leaned in close and kissed you.

“Chris… I-” Here and now, the night before everything possibly was about to go to hell again, hearing him say those words, you felt your heart beating fast against your chest.

“If it’s my last chance to say it…” He started to say but you cut him off. 

“Don’t.” You put a finger to his lips and said nothing else; instead you took his hands in yours and led him into the bedroom, finally understanding the change in the air between the two of you. 

Now was not the time for declarations, it wasn’t about what you wanted to say or what you wanted to hear. your idea of a perfect night if it was going to be your last night was this. Having the chance to be with him and spend all of the hours you had left together, before going to war.

“Tell me tomorrow, please.” Looking up into those blue eyes of his that you had been lucky enough to wake up to some mornings, you kissed him before moving to lock the door behind you.

“I promise.” He said and smiled, really smiled now, as he picked you up in his arms and carried you to the bed. 

* * *

However as luck would have it, you did not have to wait until the morning arrived; you had been drifting off into a light slumber, your head resting against his chest listening to the song he was humming… a melody from his childhood he had once told you about, when he lived with his family in Arizona… a song that brought back happy memories when one sometimes needs a reminder… his fingers tracing your scars, he had taken his time with you, kissing every scar as he always did, his lips brushing against the inside of your wrists, under your eye, along your back… you had asked the doctors to heal you but to leave the scars be as a reminder of what you had lost.

And now, about an hour before sunrise, for it was still night outside, the first of the messages began to transmit to him, the ship began to flicker awake at last. The transmat pads were activating and everyone was beginning to come back aboard. Something had happened. 

“Is it the Discovery?” You asked, sitting up in bed and grabbed your uniform to get dressed.

“They did it.” He breathed out, relief and joy reflected in his face as he listened to the report from Starfleet Command. “All of the enemy ships are retreating, we’ve won.” He almost couldn’t believe it, but now was not the time to linger.

The entire crew was summoned directly to the bridge as they arrived, waiting for their Captain’s announcement. There was a buzz in the air as all systems of the Enterprise came alive once more, there was the familiar noise of all the engines and the machines thrumming, the floor beneath your feet as you made for the elevators no longer echoed in empty silence, the crew were all present and talking amongst themselves, even though they quietened when the familiar call rung out.

“Captain on the bridge!” 

It had been just the two of you for those few seconds, which was enough time to take in the news that this was really happening, the Federation was victorious. And after all of the cheers and applause and a round of hugs from everyone - even Spock had been pleasantly surprised but glad to get a hug from you - there was still more to be said. A ceremony for the members of Discovery, for their valiant efforts to save the day, to celebrate, to live. But just when you and the others thought that was all the Captain had to say… you barely had a chance to register his hand finding yours amidst the crowd as he pulled you back into his arms and kissed you. In front of the entire crew.

“I love you.” He said with a grin, all the while everyone began to clap once more. “You did say to wait, but I figured now was as good a time as any.” 

“And I love you.” You replied and hid your face in his chest, this was a little more public than you were used to. If anyone didn’t know before, they definitely did now. 

Standing there with the crew of the Enterprise, with your family, as you all watched the USS Discovery arriving there in a few moments; the sun began to rise signaling a new day on Earth and a new beginning for everyone. For you and the man who stood by you, his hands in yours, as they always were meant to be.


End file.
